So what’s an Airfryer? Well, basically it’s a multi-cooker that lets you cook food without the need for oil. It’s not some kind of wizardry. It’s all down to the technology. The Airfryer has “Rapid Air Technology” which uses circulating hot air and a grill element to cook the food evenly without needing a vat of vegetable oil.

Inside the Airfryer is a basket which holds the food ready for cooking. You can cook two different items at once using the non-stick separator that divides the basket in half. So for example you could do potato wedges on one side and chicken drumsticks on the other.

It’s refreshingly easy to get started with an easy to understand manual of just 13 pages written in basic English. Also included is a Quick Start Guide which really helps when you forget what happens next in the cooking process.

The other side of the Quick Start Guide has a handy cheat sheet for common food inlcuding the timings, the temperature and handy tips for preparation.

It’s actually very easy to operate. You can adjust the temperature (up to 200 degrees) using the dial at the top and set the timer using the knob in the middle (up to 30 minutes). The red light shows it is heating up, the green light indicates that the Airfryer is on. When the cooking is over a bell will sound and the machine automatically switches off which is a fantastic safety feature.

I love that you can make crunchy chips without a lot of oil! This makes the chips healthier, so I can legitemately eat more without the guilt. The potato wedges cooked a lot faster than they would in the oven, taking about 20 minutes instead of the usual 40 minutes.

Having an Airfyer in your life means your will never have to mess about with frying on the stove again. Shallow frying makes me nervous. I feel like I need to designate a fire marshall for the fat fire that’s inevitably going to happen.

You can cook pretty much ANYTHING – chips, chicken drumsticks, spring rolls, fish cakes, steak, sausage rolls, etc. I made donuts using the baking tray insert and it resulted in lightly crispy golden donuts. [Photo above shows before cooking]. The baking tray can be used to bake cakes, brownies, basically anything that needs a bit more support while cooking. You can also use your own metal baking tins inside the Airfryer resting on the basket.

The Airfryer is compact and doesn’t take up a lot of bench space. It would be perfect for people renting small apartments without kitchens. The power cord is retractable and tucks back up inside the appliance.

Mama Sweet said the design looked like a “portable” hairdryer that she had in the 70s that had a large hose attachment that she was tethered too. So… that’s probably her way of saying it looks “retro”.

What I love about the Airfryer:

It does what it says on the packet.The Airfryer website promises “Tastiest food snacks without the oil… Only a little effort” and I’m happy to say that it really is true. The chips I made came out super crunchy, the donuts were lightly crispy on the outside and it was all very easy to do. It’s a really flexible appliance that can be used to cook pretty much anything and it also cooks food a lot quicker than in the oven.

An instruction manual that actually makes sense. This is such a rare sighting in the world of kitchen appliances that I feel like I just spotted a unicorn. Maybe Phillips can give Ikea a helping hand? I am also keen on the Quick Start Guide which is an excellent cheat sheet so you don’t have to re-read the manual, and the recipe book for sparking creativity.

Super easy to clean and dishwasher friendly. You can pop the basket and the baking in the dishwasher and the appliance can be wiped over with hot water and a sponge. There is nothing worse than loving an appliance but hating having to clean it – I’m looking at you blender.

What I’m not crazy about:

The air filter makes sure that notorious fried food smell doesn’t go through the entire house, but it also means you can’t immediately tell if your food is starting to get a little too browned. Stay near the appliance during cooking, not in another room watching Ellen *ahem*.

If you aren’t sure how the cooking is going there is no window to peak through. You just need to open the drawer mid-way through cooking. I’m not sure if this is bad for the machine, but I was cautious about interrupting the cooking part-way through.

It might be a little pricey for some at a RRP AU$329.95. After trying out the Phillips Airfryer I would definitely be tempted to purchase one. I think for people who love frying foods but are looking for a healthier alternative then this would be a good investment for your kitchen.